DKNY Fall/Winter 2016-2017 RTW – NYFW

One of the greatest fashion movements of the past decade is genderless fashion, whose exponents are, little by little, incredibly growing in number. DKNY creative directors Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne have just added their names on the list, unveiling the DKNY fall/winter 2016-17 ready-to-wear lineup that amazed most of those attending their show at New York Fashion Week.

To sum up the entire collection in just one word, we could say ‘extra-large’, to be interpreted both in style and spirit. Most of the volumes are even bigger and billowier than the average XL sizes, and blur the lines not only between what is conventionally regarded as feminine and masculine, but also between the Western and Eastern cultures. Instead of conforming men’s fashion to the women’s figures, feminizing the lines, Chow and Osborne created something that is pure genderless fashion, without setting any kind of gender-conforming limitation.

New York-born Dao-Yi Chow and Maxwell Osborne also infused the lineup with their omnipresent street-style vibes, often revisited in a more haute couture way. Chow and Osborne are known for enjoying taking both classic and street-style silhouettes just to update them through their modern (and at this point even post-modern) eyes, mixing low-end with high pieces and womenswear with menswear. For their DKNY FW 2016-17 collection they also drew inspiration from the hip-hop culture, as we know that musicians, graffiti-artists and break-dancers have always played a huge role in the designers’ lives.

We could specifically see the influence of their street-style and hip-hop references in the harem pants, geometrically oversized hoodies, XL windbreakers and Nineties-inspired crop-tops, which inevitably add character to the women’s figures making them look like modern-day androgynous heroines. These pieces feature strong silhouettes that are accentuated by the lineup’s dark color palette, which mainly features blacks and whites. Fire red and gloomy burgundy pieces are to be seen just by the end of the show, emphasizing the lineup’s overall melancholic vibes.

To highlight all those blacks, whites and burgundy hues, Chow and Maxwell mixed and matched different fabrics and textures, interrupting the oversized figures with sleek materials, see-through lace and fishnet detailing. Other interesting details, which help spice up the figures, include raw and ribbed hems and zigzag lacing attachments. Although mainly showcasing big, oversized silhouettes, the collection also includes some curve-hugging pieces, the majority of which is meant to tighten the waistlines and elongate the legs.

Asymmetrical blouses and tactic cut-outs will surely make the Nineties-lover giggle, probably as much as the contrasting long-sleeved raglan shirts, plaid dungarees and pinstripe oversized shirts, the latter of which may not be the collection’s key-pieces but are anyways equally appealing (and are Chow and Maxwell’s signature pieces). Kimono-inspired dresses and cardigans could be considered as the lineup’s most standout items, as they blissfully mix Eastern motifs with street-style vibes form the Nineties (a.k.a the costumes spotted in The Matrix’s first two episodes).

As for the models’ makeup, Chow and Maxwell accentuated the cheekbones and the inner corner of the eyes with the help of Yadim for Maybelline, just to make sure we could all ascertain the Nineties are (fully) back.